Chlorine leak forces 300-villager evacuation

Updated: 2012-02-23 12:20

(Xinhua)

HANGZHOU - Homes of more then 300 villagers in east China's Zhejiang province were evacuated on Wednesday as a road accident involving a vehicle carrying liquid chlorine caused a spill of the dangerous material, according to an announcement on Thursday.

The crash happened at about 3 pm Wednesday at a road section of the township of Bao'an in the city of Jiangshan, when three vehicles piled up, including a truck carrying chlorine, said an official with the city's fire department.

The driver of the truck was slightly injured, added the official.

Over 80 households within a 2-km radius of the crash were evacuated, as workers cleaned the scene by blocking and diluting the leaked chlorine.

By Thursday morning, all villagers had returned home after observation in hospital.

Chlorine may cause breathing difficulties, and serious poisoning may lead to suffocation and/or coma.